Made
up of the city of Victoria and the municipalities of Oak Bay,
Saanich, View Royal and Esquimalt, Greater Victoria boasts a population
of almost 290,000, making it Vancouver Island's largest metropolitan
area.

Victoria,
BC, is also known as Canada's 'Best Blooming City'! Springtime
finds streets lined with blossoming trees, and during the summer,
baskets brimming with flowers are hung on the city's 19th century
style street lamps. Each March, while the rest of the country
is still shivering through winter, local gardeners and flower
enthusiasts join the 'flower count' to tally the blossoms all
over town. Four million blooms is not an unusual total.

Ecosummer Expeditions: Have a whale of a time at Orca Camp! Sea kayak with Orcas and Humpback whales along BC's Johnstone Strait. Join an intimate group of travelers, paddling out on three, four, or six-day kayaking adventures with expert guides. more

Five Star Whale Watching: Discover the picturesque West Coast of Canada & Vancouver Island - home to the largest population of Killer Whales in the world. Natural wonders are abundant in this pristine marine environment covering Southern Vancouver Island, Victoria, & the Gulf Islands. more

Fresh Adventures Wilderness Tours: Guided wilderness tours in BC and Alberta. Experience the highlights of Vancouver Island and the Canadian Rocky Mountains in a small group with a professional guide. more

Rocky Mountain Holidays: Rail Vacations in the Rocky Mountains & Western Canada! Rocky Mountain Holidays customize vacations that combine the romance of train travel with the magnificent scenery of Western Canada. more

First
established as a Hudson's Bay Company fort, Victoria preserves
its interesting past and rich native culture in a number of BC
museums and historic buildings throughout the area. With the fur
trade a thing of the past, the area is now a centre for shipping,
commerce, tourism, culture, and sport. It is also boasts one of
British Columbia's main universities, the University of Victoria.

Access:
Located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is Mile
0 of the Trans Canada Highway and can be reached only by ferry
from the BC mainland. Commercial
airline and bus service is available as is the urban bus line.
Various cruise operations are based in Victoria to give people
access to a variety of areas around Vancouver Island and the Gulf
Islands.

Accommodations:
Victoria accommodations can range from scenic campgrounds and
cozy bed and breakfast homes to econony motels and fine hotels
and first class resorts. Many accommodations are within easy walking
distance to the inner harbour, downtown, attractions, parks and
beaches.